Care in Mathematics Education: Alternative Educational Spaces and Practices

"This invitation to rethink mathematics teaching as a caring mode of being challenges the terms of popular debate, as it compels educators to rethink their relationships to learners, their social and cultural responsibilities, the discipline’s relevance and vibrancy, and the complex and intricate workings of the world that surpass perception and comprehension."
—Professor Brent Davis, University of Calgary, Canada
"In the prevailing educational climate which privileges whole school targets, this book refreshingly introduces to, (or reminds), the reader of the possibility, in ordinary classrooms, of giving equal weight to the care of the student and the care of mathematics… the author intends to offer the reader insight and perhaps permission to identify with those for whom teaching is ‘who they are, not a performance’."
—Professor Lynne McClure, University of Cambridge, UK

This book investigates the process of care in mathematics teaching. The author proposes transformative educational spaces in which learning mathematics, rather than consisting of a repetitive grind of exercises and facts, can become a part of learner identity. This book describes examples of mathematics teachings in a wide range of contexts and pedagogies, coordinated to identify common features where care for mathematical learning and thinking is combined with care for learners. Along with detailing caring mathematics education practices in alternative spaces, the author demonstrates similar practices alive even with the current mainstream spaces of acquisition and performance. Care is integrated through listening, and developing responsive and trusting relationships. It will be of interest to scholars of mathematics education, as well as pre-service and in-service teachers and teacher educators.

Anne Watson is Professor Emerita of Mathematics Education at the University of Oxford, UK. She taught for 13 years in comprehensive schools in disadvantaged areas using a variety of pedagogic approaches. Since retirement she has worked extensively with teachers, teacher educators and curriculum projects focusing on pedagogy, learning and curriculum with a concern for social justice.